Just got a laugh from the dealership.

So as I wait for my driveshaft to be replaced as a result of a tsb, I noticed I cheap pro comp spacer lift around the parts counter... Halfway joking I asked what it fits and how much it was. It fit a 2nd gen Tacoma and it was $325 for spacers and blocks... Then halfway joking again I asked was that installed? No. It was $325 and this is the good part... 6 hours labor!!! Plus alignment. Holy crap I could buy a full ome setup for what they want for this crap...

Ok rant over.

 

Along the lines of silly - check out the opening post in this thread:

 

The reason why they sell 'em.....is because people will BUY 'em.

I do some minor repairs and installs on trucks from around my home area. (To supplement income for my 4wd addiction) Like the dealer, I have to charge for my time, or else it isn't worth doing....With parts the dealer sells, or if I was to supply parts, as a "vendor" you assume some liability and risk. You need to be paid for that. I do NOT sell parts. I'll install a kit that you carry in the door to me.

Without knowing where your dealer gets his "lift kit", there's no way of knowing how much they pay for them. I have seen a few "name brand" spacer lift kits sell in the $250+ range. The simple "ebay kits" sell for $75 to $100 AND WILL DO ANYTHING THE MORE EXPENSIVE SPACER LIFTS WILL.....

So...conceivably, they're making $75 above cost on the kit. Not unreasonable. 6 hours labor to install with the availability of a lift, adequate tools, help when you need a second set of hands, etc....is a lot of time. But, I've had installs that don't go well, and I WISHED I could have done them in 6 hours. I've installed essentially the same kit in less than 4 hours with a floor jack, a handful of tools, and laying on the driveway. I've spend 2 days crawling around on one install.

So. It's not out of the realm of believability that a simple spacer lift installed would go north of a grand,....Just imagine how much it would cost to have that same dealer install high end lift kits...?

All of this falls back to one theory I have. "If you can't do the work yourself, either don't plan on modifying a 4wd, OR, get a good job where you can afford to pay someone qualified about 2 or 3 times what it SHOULD cost to do the work."

 

I had the dealer put in that pro comp lift when I ordered the truck new. Cost $1000..less than what the ome setup woulda cost.. But more importantly I maintained the full warranty because it's all done through the dealer. Went wheelin twice right after I got the truck. That lift is good enough for what I do

 

I just know MOST of the time it isn't gonna be a 6 hour job. Besides I don't want spacers anyway. For the same money I can do 5100s.

 

It's the same up here in Canada. Both the dealerships and auto supply chain offer up spacer lifts and sell as a quality lift. Some don't get into coilover lifts and others do but charge an arm and a leg to do it. Best bet is to get what you want, buy a buddy some pizza and beer and do the install yourself.

 

^Agree. I also shopped around after the fact.. $1000 is the standard rate for this spacer lift. Cheapest I found was $940